By
Rebecca Gibson |
Since launching in 1997 with four river ships, cruise brand Viking has adopted an aggressive expansion strategy that shows no sign of abating. Today, the company operates over 80 river vessels on European rivers, the Mississippi River in the USA, the River Nile in Egypt and the Mekong in Southeast Asia. It also has 16 small ocean cruise ships and two polar-class expedition vessels taking guests to destinations worldwide.
Based on Viking’s committed orderbook, the company expects to take delivery of 27 additional river ships by 2028 and 10 extra ocean ships by 2031. With these orders, Viking will have 112 river ships in 2028 and 23 ocean and expedition ships in 2031.
Six of the river ships will be deployed on the Nile by the end of 2027. The next to set sail will be the 82-guest Viking Amun, which was delivered by Cairo’s Massara shipyard in mid-August 2025. “The Nile is one of our most popular river cruise destinations, and we’ll have a total of 12 ships on the river by 2027,” says Wendy Atkin-Smith, managing director of Viking UK. “We’re launching a second ship on the Mekong in 2025 too.”
In late 2027, Viking will debut its first India-based river ship, the 80-guest Viking Brahmaputra. “Our guests have particularly enjoyed visiting Indian ports on our ocean itineraries so this introduces a new way for them to explore this fascinating country,” explains Atkin-Smith. “The ship will sail on the Brahmaputra River between Guwahati and Nimati Ghat in Assam as part of a 15-day itinerary. It includes an eight-day river voyage and a fully guided land programme with overnights in Delhi, Agra and Jaipur.”
Viking, which christened its first ocean ship a decade ago, plans to continue expanding its ocean cruise product too. The brand frequently updates its itinerary portfolio to maximise choice for guests. “We’ve introduced calls in multiple new destinations, such as Malta and Greenland,” says Atkin-Smith. “The length of itineraries has also grown. We launched our first world cruise in 2017 and now sail them annually because they’ve been so popular. Our next one departs in December 2025 and will sail for 138 days through the South Pacific and Asia to the Indian Ocean and Africa.”
The 930-guest Viking Star was christened in Bergen, Norway, during a city-wide celebration for Norwegian Constitution Day attended by around 20,000 people
Some destinations remain enduringly attractive to guests. “Norway has always been a popular destination – it is our homeland, and we are very proud of our Nordic heritage,” says Atkin-Smith. “Our guests want to sail through the scenic fjords, which are best experienced by small ships that can access smaller ports within the fjords. The ships nicely complement sailing in Norway due to our design philosophy being based on an appreciation of nature, which is deeply engrained in Scandinavian culture.”
Guests are increasingly opting for the brand’s ‘Quiet Season Mediterranean’ itineraries to countries such as France, Greece, Italy and Spain too. “When it’s less crowded, guests can enjoy much-needed winter sunshine and visit iconic sites at a more relaxed pace,” explains Atkin-Smith. “Due to high demand, we’re increasing capacity during the quiet season by basing more of our ocean ships in the Mediterranean starting from late October 2025 to mid-March 2026.”
Viking curates immersive shore excursions for every port call. “We give guests opportunities to connect with different cultures and immerse themselves in each destination,” says Atkin-Smith. “Our unique Privileged Access experiences have always been real highlights for ocean guests because they offer exclusive access to cultural treasures worldwide. We’ve given them opportunities to enjoy before and after-hours access to seldom-seen collections at world-class museums, be special guests at private homes and palaces, and attend folklore, ballet and opera performances.”
To complement the shore excursions, Viking creates onboard enrichment programmes to “deeply immerse culturally curious guests further into the destinations,” says Atkin-Smith. “We do this via everything from art and music performances to cooking demonstrations and talks by carefully selected guest lecturers. The ongoing success and recognition of our ocean ships and itineraries is evidenced by the accolades we have achieved over the years.”
Conscious of its environmental responsibilities when sailing around the world, Viking is now building on previous investments in hybrid engines, shore power and energy-efficiency technologies to construct the world’s first hydrogen-powered ocean cruise vessel.
Currently being built by Fincantieri, the 54,300gt Viking Libra will be equipped with a hydrogen propulsion system and advanced polymer electrolyte membrane fuel cell technology developed by Fincantieri subsidiary Isotta Fraschini Motori. Together, the technologies will produce up to six megawatts of power, enabling the 998-guest ship to operate with zero emissions on debut in late 2026.
“From the outset we designed our river and ocean ships to reduce their fuel consumption, and we’re very proud that Viking Libra will be even more environmentally friendly,” says Atkin-Smith. “Viking Libra will be capable of navigating and operating with zero emissions, allowing us to access even the most environmentally sensitive areas.”
Discover more insights like this in the Autumn/Winter 2025 issue of Cruise & Ferry Review. Don’t miss out – subscribe for FREE and get the next issue delivered straight to your inbox.